NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES DisabilitySafe Injury Management Workshop.

NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICESDisabilitySafe

Injury Management Workshop

Introduction - Welcome All

Introduction to facilitator Venue – housekeepingIn the event of an emergency…Breaks – mobile phonesQuestions?Introduction of participants

Injury Management Workshop

The Injury Management workshop has been developed to assist managers and supervisors of injured workers to effectively manage occupational injury, leading to improved returned to work outcomes for injured staff and a reduction in the employer’s workers compensation premium.

Learning Outcomes….

…are detailed on page 5 of your workbook.

Effective WHS&IM SystemCommitment to WHS Management (from all)Effective Planning Processes for WHSConsultation and CommunicationWHS Risk Management WHS Information, Instruction, Training and

SupervisionIncident Reporting and InvestigationInjury Treatment and ManagementClaims ManagementMeasurement, Evaluation and Review of WHS

PerformanceBenchmarking within the Disability Sector

Draft WHS&IM Improvement Plan

Refer to the draft WHS&IM Improvement Plan in the Appendix section of your workbook.

SESSION 1NSW Workers Compensation System…

…is designed to ensure that all injured workers are supported whilst they recover from their injury.

NSW Workers Compensation System…

…can not be considered in isolation when supporting injured workers.

- Occupational Health and Safety Act of NSW (2000);

- Fair Work Act (2009);- Disability Discrimination, Anti-

Discrimination and Privacy Acts all overlap.

Parliament

Minister

WorkCover NSW

Nominal insurerScheme Agents (seven)

Self insurersSpecialised insurers

Self Insurance Corporation

WorkCover Framework

Workers Compensation SystemIn the Appendix section in your workbook is more information which details how the workers compensation system operates within NSW. WorkCover NSW Fact Sheet 1 – Insurance Policy and Premiums Information for EmployersWorkCover NSW Fact Sheet 2 – Injury Management and Return-to-Work ProgramsWorkCover NSW Fact Sheet 3 – What to Do if There is an InjuryNDS Disabilitysafe Project – The Workers Compensation System for Disability Service Providers

Effective Early Intervention

Supervisors, injured workers, nominated treating doctors, the insurer and allied health professionals all need to work as partners in problem solving, decision making and when planning and reviewing RTW Plans.

Early Intervention…

When an injury occurs it is important, right from the beginning, for all stakeholders to communicate effectively

Early Notification of Injury

Medical research has determined that “work” is generally good for our health and well-being.

“…appropriate, evidence-based health care can reduce unnecessary work incapacity, particularly in relation to musculoskeletal and mild – to – moderate mental health conditions.”

- Realising the Health Benefits of Work – Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Position Statement April 2010.

Inclusive Injury Management

What does this mean to you?

Inclusive Injury Management

Simply stated inclusive injury management procedures take into account your organisation’s employees are “people” first and “workers” second.

The procedures factor in the complex social, psychological and medical aspects of injury and illness.

SESSION 2 Promoting a Positive Safety Culture

“Safety culture is an important concept that forms the environment within which individual safety attitudes develop and persist and safety behaviours are promoted.

What do you think is meant by the term “safety culture”?

Brain Writing; Silent Activity…

What are some ways you can contribute to a positive safety culture?

CONTINUALLY IMPROVINGContinually improve practices and performance

beyond compliance

COMPLIANCE DRIVENWe have systems in place to meet legal

requirements

REACTIVEWHS important we do a lot after an accident

VULNERABLENo attention to WHSIM

RESILIENTWe integrate WHS into business practices & performance. It is the way we do business

Increasing competence of managers and management practices Increasing employee

participation and trust

Increasingly informed people

Modified after Hudson 2001 and VIOSH 2005

WHS&IM CULTURE

Leadership vs Management

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

- Peter F. Drucker

Leadership Adopting the Nine C’s – in Appendix of

your workbookEmbracing the A-F Code of Success – in

Appendix of your workbookColin Powell’s Thirteen Rules of LeadershipDevelopment of a WHS&IM Improvement

Plan for your organisationDevelop and Promote a Positive Safety

Culture throughout your organisation

Team Work…

…with all key players provides

protection for the injured worker and your organisation and helps to prevent long term work loss and disability.

SESSION 3 – Effective Return to Work Programs

All employers must have a Return to Work Program

Has your organisation’s program been updated to be in compliance with WorkCover NSW Guidelines for Workplace Return to Work Programs (2010)?

Small Group Activity

Refer to page 25 of your workbook and answer the questions listed on Implementing a RTW Program within your organisation.

Group discussion to follow

SESSION 4 Being a “Modern” Manager

You need to be pro-active.

You need to be available and accessible.

You need to be supportive.

You need to empower your staff to raise their concerns.

If you do not know what’s happening “out there” you cannot help them

Small Group Activity

Refer to page 29 of your workbook and complete self-reflective activity to determine how supportive you see yourself as a manager or supervisors.

Group discussion to follow.

AT “RISK” STAFF

How well do you “know” your staff?

SESSION 5 - Injury Management and Claims Management

GROUP DISCUSSION

Are you an active participant during rehabilitation meetings?

Or do you take a “back seat”, and allow the RTW Coordinator to facilitate the rehabilitation meeting?

BEST PRACTICE

Team Work

Early Intervention

Early Identification of Psychosocial Factors

Reasonable Adjustment

Suitable Duties

Managing Your Insurer

Ensure early notification and intervention when an injury

occurs

Act early

Offer suitable duties

Take an active interest in injured worker progress

Take steps to minimise incidence of injuries

Control Your Claims Experience

Working with Your InsurerDisability Service Providers need to work

with their insurer to ensure service quality and efficiency.

What are some ways you can do this?

SESSION 6 Rehabilitation Meetings The Injured Worker and You

COMMUNICATE FREQUENTLY

Providing suitable dutiesWhat are suitable duties

Short termTransitionalMeaningful

In 2002 WorkSafe Victoria determined that workers who have extended time off work are less likely to be able to return to their pre-injury duties.

20 days off- chance of ever getting back to work is 70%

45 days off – chance of ever getting back to work is 50%

70 days off – chance of ever getting back to work is 35%

Legal Obligation to Offer Suitable Duties

Every employer has a legal obligation to provide suitable duties if they are capable of doing so. And if they do not, the agency can be fined.

The impact on the worker is devastating to their well-being and it hits employers financially as the estimate and premium rises dramatically.

Claims Estimation & Provision of Suitable Duties

In small groups refer to page 39 and 40 of your workbook and review the case scenario and resulting estimates when suitable duties are provided and when they are not.

Group discussion to follow.

JOB TASK ANALYSIS – SUITABLE DUTIES

Be pro-active in your approach to Injury Management by ensuring all established positions have an up to date Job Task Analysis on file.

Pro-Active and Supportive Management

GROUP DISCUSSION

So your worker is injured…

How do you maintain contact with them at all stages of their recovery?

What else can you do to support them?

What can you do if their claim is declined?

One of Your Staff Has Been Injured

Initial contact with worker…

Notification Steps…

Suitable and Meaningful Duties…

SMALL GROUP WORK – Role Play

Read through and “role play” the case scenario on page 43 of your workbook.

Observer will report back to the main group if the detailed points on page 43 were successfully addressed.

SESSION 7Red, Yellow and Blue Flags

“…long term worklessness is one of the greatest risks to our health in our society. It is more dangerous that the most dangerous job in the construction industry, or working on an oil rig in the North Sea…”

- Professor Gordon Waddell

When Industrial Issues Present

Group Discussion / Brain Storm

What do you do when IR issues are present when one of your staff is injured?

Small Group Activity

Refer to pages 46 & 47 of your workbook and review the red, yellow and blue flags and the provided case study on Mary Jones to answer the questions on page 49.

What are you going to do to optimise Mary’s return to her pre-injury duties position?

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

If all attempts to resolve disputes have been exhausted the Workers Compensation Commission is an independent statutory tribunal set up to provide a dispute resolution service.

Refer to Appendix – WorkCover NSW Fact Sheet 5

Resolving Problems and Disputes about Workers Compensation Claims.

SESSION 8 – Preventing and Managing Psychological Injury

So what is stress?And what can we do about it?

Preventing Psychological Injury

Managers and supervisors need to demonstrate integrated and holistic leadership and innovative management practices to prevent psychological injuries occurring.

You must develop effective working relationships with all your staff and communicate clear values and expectations consistently.

Brain Writing…in silence

Write down strategies you can embrace to actively support injured workers who have been diagnosed with a psychological illness.

Refer to Appendix in your workbook for WorkCover NSW Bullying Risk Indicator.

Managing Psychological Injury Offering suitable duties:

-Identified causes and ability to resolve?

-Need for medication?

-Is it possible for the worker to work across

elsewhere in your organisation?

-Who will actively manage the worker?

-How soon should suitable duties be offered?

-What else can you do to avoid costly disputes?

BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

What is expected of you, if one of your staff alleges they are a victim of bullying and harassment?

Small Group Activity

Update your draft WHS&IM Improvement Plan for staff to comment on and add to, to further support and promote a positive safety culture within your organisation.

Group discussion to follow.

RETURN TO WORK PROGRAM

Update your organisation’s Return to Work Program in consultation with your staff to ensure it is in compliance with WorkCover NSW Workplace Return to Work Programs (2010).

Positive Safety Culture

Operating a just culture where you staff are recognised and rewarded for their safe practices, as well as holding them personally accountable allows you to bring your organisation’s management systems to life and bring your team to a workplace free from harm.

Wrap up and Evaluation

Any questions?

Please complete training course evaluation form – these will be reviewed as part of our continuous improvement policy and strategy to provide the highest quality training.

Thank you for your participation!